Common questions, clear answers

What is Receiptflow and who is it built for?

Receiptflow is a receipt scanning and data extraction tool built specifically for UK accounting and bookkeeping practices. Your clients snap or forward receipts; Receiptflow extracts the key data automatically and pushes it to Xero, QuickBooks, or FreeAgent. It is built for practice owners managing multiple clients, not for solo business owners tracking personal expenses.

Is Receiptflow only for accountants, or can my clients use it too?

Both. Accountants manage everything from a single practice dashboard. Clients submit receipts by photo, email forward, or mobile upload without needing to create an account or download anything. Your practice controls the workflow; your clients just send the documents.

What types of documents does Receiptflow process?

Receiptflow processes receipts, invoices, and expense documents. That includes photos taken on a phone, PDF attachments forwarded by email, and documents uploaded via the web. The extraction engine handles standard receipts, VAT invoices, and handwritten documents.

Is Receiptflow suitable for a sole practitioner?

Yes. Flat practice pricing means a sole practitioner managing a small client base pays a predictable monthly rate regardless of document volume. There is no per-client or per-document charge that makes the cost unworkable at smaller scale.

How does Receiptflow extract data from a receipt?

Receiptflow reads each document using optical character recognition combined with AI-powered extraction. The system identifies the supplier name, date, total amount, VAT amount, and VAT number automatically. Corrections your team makes feed back into the system to improve future accuracy on that supplier.

How accurate is the data extraction?

For clear, legible receipts, Receiptflow consistently achieves accuracy above 99%. For lower-quality images, such as crumpled paper, poor lighting, or handwritten text, exceptions are flagged automatically for manual review. The system does not post uncertain data silently; it surfaces it for your team to check.

What happens if a client sends a blurry or unreadable receipt?

Receiptflow flags it as an exception rather than guessing. Your team sees it in the exceptions queue, where you can correct it manually or request a better copy from the client. Nothing gets posted to your accounting software without passing the quality check.

Can Receiptflow handle duplicate receipts?

Yes. If a client submits the same receipt twice via different channels, Receiptflow detects and flags the duplicate automatically before it reaches your accounting software. No configuration is required.

Does Receiptflow handle line-item extraction?

Yes. For invoices with multiple line items, Receiptflow extracts each line individually, covering description, quantity, unit price, and VAT, rather than just the document total. This matters for practices where downstream coding accuracy depends on line-level detail.

Can Receiptflow read receipts in foreign currencies?

Yes. Receiptflow captures the currency and amount as presented on the document. For UK practices with clients who travel or purchase from overseas suppliers, the original currency is preserved in the extracted data alongside the transaction details.

What file formats does Receiptflow accept?

Receiptflow accepts JPEG and PNG images taken on a phone, PDF documents forwarded by email, and files uploaded directly via the web interface. Clients can submit through whichever method suits them; there is no single required format.

Does the extraction improve over time?

Yes. When your team corrects an extraction, whether supplier name, nominal code, or VAT treatment, the system learns from that correction and applies it automatically to future documents from the same supplier. Accuracy on recurring suppliers improves with use.

Which accounting software does Receiptflow integrate with?

Receiptflow integrates directly with Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent. The integration maps supplier names to your existing contacts, applies the correct nominal codes based on your chart of accounts, and handles VAT treatment for standard and zero-rated purchases. It posts correctly coded transactions, not raw data.

Does Receiptflow work with Xero's existing contacts and nominal codes?

Yes. When Receiptflow pushes a transaction to Xero, it uses your existing chart of accounts and supplier contacts rather than creating new ones. This keeps your Xero data clean and avoids reconciliation problems caused by duplicate or uncoded entries.

Does Receiptflow integrate with FreeAgent?

Yes. Receiptflow integrates directly with FreeAgent, mapping extracted receipt data to your FreeAgent chart of accounts. For practices with clients on FreeAgent, particularly freelancers and contractors, this removes the need for manual entry into the platform.

Does Receiptflow work with Sage?

Receiptflow’s direct integrations are currently Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent. If your practice runs primarily on Sage, check the features page for the current integration status, as the roadmap is updated regularly.

How is Receiptflow priced?

Receiptflow uses flat-rate pricing based on your practice tier, not per-document or per-client transaction fees. Your costs stay predictable as your client base grows. You are not penalised for processing high volumes within your tier.

Is there a per-client charge?

No. Receiptflow does not charge per client or per document. You pay a flat monthly rate based on your practice tier. Adding a new client does not increase your bill mid-month or trigger an overage charge.

Is Receiptflow cheaper than Dext?

For most UK accounting practices, yes. Dext charges per client: at 50 clients, around £391 per month. Receiptflow's Essential plan covers 50 clients at £150 per month. At 150 clients the annual saving is over £7,400. At 300 clients, over £12,000.

How does Receiptflow pricing compare to AutoEntry?

AutoEntry charges per document processed, which suits low-volume practices but becomes unpredictable at higher volumes or during busy periods like year-end. Receiptflow's flat rate removes that variability entirely.

What happens if I grow beyond my plan tier?

When your practice grows past your current tier, you move to the next one. There are no surprise overage fees charged mid-month. The pricing page shows each tier and the client count it covers, so you can plan ahead.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. You can try Receiptflow free without a credit card. The trial gives you full access to the product so you can test it with real client documents before committing. No setup fee, no obligation, cancel any time.

How long does it take to switch from Dext to Receiptflow?

Setup takes minutes. You connect your accounting software, configure your client list, and share the submission details with clients. There is no lengthy migration or data import required. Receiptflow works from the point of switching forward.

Will I lose my Dext history when I switch?

Your historical data stays in Dext after you cancel. Receiptflow works from the point of switching forward. If you need historical records for MTD or HMRC purposes, export them from Dext before closing your account.

Do my clients need to do anything when I switch?

Minimal disruption. Clients forwarding receipts by email simply update the address they forward to. Clients using a mobile app can switch to Receiptflow's web uploader without installing anything. Most practices report clients notice very little difference.

Can I run Receiptflow and Dext at the same time during a transition?

Yes. Many practices move clients across in batches, running both tools simultaneously during the transition. There is no requirement to switch your entire client base at once. This lets you test the Receiptflow workflow before committing fully.

What happened to Receipt Bank, and is it the same as Dext?

Yes. Receipt Bank was rebranded as Dext Prepare in 2021. If you used Receipt Bank, you were already using what is now called Dext. Receiptflow is a separate, independent product built for UK practices looking for an alternative to Dext's pricing model and feature complexity.

How does Receiptflow compare to Hubdoc?

Hubdoc is included free with Xero Standard and Premium subscriptions, which makes it a sensible starting point for low-volume practices. Its limitations become visible at higher volumes, particularly around line-item extraction and multi-client management. Receiptflow is purpose-built for practices managing multiple clients at scale.

How does Receiptflow compare to Datamolino?

Datamolino is strong on line-item extraction for complex supplier invoices. Receiptflow covers line-item extraction and adds practice-level multi-client management with flat pricing. The right choice depends on whether complex invoice extraction or practice workflow management is your primary need.

What should I look for when choosing a receipt scanning tool?

Test OCR accuracy on your actual client documents during the trial, not clean sample invoices. Check pricing at your current client count and your projected count in 12 months. Confirm the integration posts correctly coded transactions, not just raw data. Ask specifically about duplicate detection and data export before signing.

Does Receiptflow help with Making Tax Digital compliance?

Yes. MTD for Income Tax requires digital record-keeping for self-employed clients and landlords above the earnings threshold. Receiptflow captures receipts digitally and maintains a time-stamped audit trail that satisfies HMRC's digital records requirements. Your clients do not need to keep paper copies of anything submitted through Receiptflow.

Which MTD mandation dates affect my clients?

MTD for Income Tax went live in April 2026 for self-employed individuals and landlords with income above £50,000. Those with income above £30,000 follow in April 2027. The schedule for clients below £30,000 is yet to be confirmed.

Does Receiptflow satisfy HMRC's definition of digital records?

Yes. HMRC requires that digital records are kept in functional compatible software. Receiptflow captures and stores transaction data digitally with a full audit trail, and integrates with HMRC-recognised platforms including Xero and QuickBooks, satisfying the digital records requirement.

Does Receiptflow capture VAT correctly on UK receipts?

Yes. The extraction engine identifies VAT amounts and VAT registration numbers. Transactions are categorised as standard-rated, zero-rated, or exempt based on the document content. Your team reviews any uncertain VAT treatment before posting.

Does Receiptflow work for landlord clients under MTD?

Yes. Landlords with property income above the MTD threshold face the same digital record-keeping requirements as self-employed individuals. Receiptflow captures their receipts and expense documents digitally, producing the audit trail HMRC expects under MTD for Income Tax.

Is the data stored securely and accessible for an HMRC enquiry?

All documents submitted to Receiptflow are stored securely on EU-based servers, in accordance with UK GDPR requirements. Every submission carries a full audit trail including timestamp, source, and any edits made. If a client faces an HMRC enquiry, you can retrieve the original document and the extracted data record.

How does Receiptflow work for a practice managing multiple clients?

Every client has their own submission channel, but you manage everything from a single practice dashboard. You can see outstanding items, exceptions, and submission activity across your entire client base without logging in and out of separate accounts. Clients are kept separate; your oversight is unified.

Can I set different permissions for different team members?

Yes. Receiptflow supports team-level access so different members of your practice can be assigned to specific clients or given different levels of access. Junior staff can process and review without accessing billing or practice-level settings.

Can clients see each other's data?

No. Each client's data is fully separated. A client submitting receipts through their own channel sees only their own submissions. The consolidated view across all clients is visible only to your practice team.

How does Receiptflow handle high-volume clients?

High-volume clients submitting dozens of documents a week are handled the same way as any other client. Flat pricing means volume does not increase your cost. The exceptions queue surfaces anything needing manual review, so your team is not processing every document individually.

Who can see my client data?

Only your practice team. Receiptflow does not share client data with third parties. Access is controlled by the login credentials you set up. EU-based server infrastructure means data handling falls under GDPR, and a Data Processing Agreement covers the obligations applicable to your practice.

Is Receiptflow GDPR compliant?

Yes. Receiptflow stores data on EU-based servers and operates in accordance with UK GDPR requirements. A Data Processing Agreement is available, setting out the obligations and responsibilities applicable to your practice as a data controller. See the DPA for the full terms.

Does Receiptflow have two-factor authentication?

Yes. Two-factor authentication is available for practice accounts. Given that your account contains client financial data, enabling 2FA is recommended as standard practice hygiene.

What happens to my data if I cancel?

Your data remains accessible for a period after cancellation so you can export what you need. For MTD compliance, HMRC requires digital records to be kept for a minimum period. Export your historical transaction data before closing your account if you need to retain it outside Receiptflow.

How much time does receipt scanning save a practice?

For a practice managing ten clients, manual receipt processing, covering data entry, error correction, chasing missing documents, and reconciliation, can consume a full working day per week. Automating that with Receiptflow eliminates the mechanical work, freeing your team for the work that requires professional judgement.

How does Receiptflow compare to doing it manually?

Manual entry requires your team to read each document, type the data, check it, and reconcile it against a bank feed, typically four to six minutes per receipt. Receiptflow handles extraction in seconds, with a review step replacing a data entry step. The time saving compounds across every client and every document volume.